Refrigeration device having an ice maker temperature sensor

ABSTRACT

A refrigeration appliance includes an ice maker which has an ice cube tray and a temperature sensor fastened to the ice cube tray. The temperature sensor is disposed outside an air flow flowing out of an outlet opening of the refrigeration appliance for cooling the ice cube tray.

The invention relates to a refrigeration appliance having an ice maker, which has an ice cube tray, wherein a temperature sensor is fastened to the ice cube tray.

Refrigeration appliances, in particular refrigeration appliances embodied as domestic appliances, are known and are used for domestic maintenance in households or in the field of gastronomy in order to store perishable foodstuffs and/or drinks at specific temperatures.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,541 discloses a refrigeration appliance having an ice maker, which has an ice cube tray to which a temperature sensor is fastened in order to measure the temperature of the ice cube tray. In order to avoid a distortion of the measured value, U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,541 provides a cover body, which prevents distortion of the measured value by an air flow arriving at the temperature sensor. However, this requires a complicated design.

Therefore, the invention is based on the object of providing a refrigeration appliance with a simplified structure.

This object is achieved by the subject matter with the features claimed in the independent claim. Advantageous developments are the subject matter of the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

The present invention is based on the knowledge that a shielding body can be dispensed with if an air flow cannot arrive at the temperature sensor.

According to a first aspect, the object according to the invention is achieved by a refrigeration appliance with which the temperature sensor is arranged outside an air flow flowing out of an outlet opening for cooling the ice cube tray. This has the technical advantage that that no air flow arrives at the temperature sensor causing distortion of the measured values. Hence, it is possible to dispense with a shielding body.

A refrigeration appliance should in particular be understood to mean a domestic appliance, that is a refrigeration appliance, used for domestic maintenance in households or in the field of gastronomy and which are in particular used to store foodstuffs and/or drinks at specific temperatures, such as, for example, a refrigerator, a freezer, a combined fridge freezer, a chest freezer or a wine cooler.

In one advantageous embodiment, the temperature sensor is arranged off-centre on the ice cube tray. This has the technical advantage that the temperature sensor is not located in a region in which the air flow flowing out of the outlet opening arrives at the ice cube tray in order to cool the water contained in the ice cube tray in order to freeze it.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the ice cube tray has a longitudinal axis of symmetry and the temperature sensor is located at a distance from the longitudinal axis of symmetry. This has the technical advantage that, on the one hand, the temperature sensor is able to ascertain the temperature of the ice cube tray precisely, but, on the other, is not impacted by the air flow.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the ice cube tray has a transverse axis of symmetry and the temperature sensor is arranged at a distance from the transverse axis of symmetry. This achieves the technical advantage that the temperature sensor is able to ascertain the temperature of the ice cube tray and is simultaneously arranged outside the air flow.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the ice cube tray comprises at least two ice cube cavities, wherein the temperature sensor is arranged between the two ice cube cavities. Liquid water is poured into the ice cube cavities and subsequently freezes to ice and forms ice cubes. This achieves the technical advantage that the temperature sensor ascertains the temperature of the ice cube tray particularly precisely.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the temperature sensor is arranged in a receptacle in the ice cube tray. The receptacle can be molded in one piece onto the ice cube tray. This achieves the technical advantage that the temperature sensor has a defined position and hence the correct ascertainment of the temperature of the ice cube tray is ensured.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the temperature sensor is fastened to the ice cube tray by a retaining clamp. This achieves the technical advantage that the temperature sensor is securely fastened to the ice cube tray and the contact ensures measuring-error-free ascertainment of the temperature of the ice cube tray.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the retaining clamp is fastened to the ice cube tray by a snap-on connection. This achieves the technical advantage that the retaining clamp can be fastened without the use of fastening means, such as, for example, screws. This simplifies assembly.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the snap-on connection comprises a snap-on hook of the retaining clamp and a clip of the ice cube tray, wherein the snap-on hook engages in the clip. This achieves the technical advantage that a particularly mechanically stable snap-on connection is provided.

In a further advantageous embodiment, a shielding body is arranged between the ice cube tray and the retaining clamp. This achieves the technical advantage that turbulence caused by the air flow is unable to reach the temperature sensor and cause a distortion of the measured values. Hence the measuring accuracy is increased.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the shielding body is made of foam. This achieves the technical advantage that, on the one hand, the shielding body shields the temperature sensor from air flows giving rise to measuring errors and, on the other, the shielding body has a low thermal capacitance so that the inertia of the temperature sensor is only negligibly reduced by the shielding body. This enables rapid ascertainment of the temperature with the temperature sensor.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the air flow flows in the direction of the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the ice cube tray. This achieves the technical advantage that the air flow impacts and cools the entire area of the ice cube tray so that rapid and uniform reduction of the temperature ice cube tray is achieved.

According to a second aspect, the object according to the invention is achieved by an ice cube container for a refrigeration appliance of this kind. This achieves the technical advantage that no air flow arrives at the temperature sensor and causes distortion of the measured values.

According to a third aspect, the object according to the invention is achieved by a temperature sensor assembly comprising a temperature sensor and a retaining clamp for a refrigeration appliance of this kind or a ice maker of this kind. This achieves the technical advantage that no air flow arrives at the temperature sensor and causes distortion of the measured values.

In one advantageous embodiment, a shielding body is provided for assembly between the retaining clamp and an ice cube tray. This further improves the measurement of the temperature of the ice cube tray with the temperature sensor.

Further exemplary embodiments will be explained with references to the attached drawings, which show:

FIG. 1 a front view of a refrigeration appliance,

FIG. 2 a perspective view of an ice maker,

FIG. 3 a section through FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 an ice maker integrated in a refrigeration appliance,

FIG. 5 an exploded view of a temperature sensor assembly, and

FIG. 6 a temperature sensor assembly fasted to an ice cube tray.

FIG. 1 shows a refrigerator as an exemplary embodiment of a refrigeration appliance 100 with a right refrigerator door 102 and a left refrigerator door 104 on the front side of the refrigeration appliance. The refrigerator is used, for example, for cooling foodstuffs and comprises a refrigerant circuit with an evaporator (not shown), a compressor (not shown), a condenser (not shown) and a throttle organ (not shown).

The evaporator is embodied as a heat exchanger in which, following expansion, the liquid refrigerant is evaporated by heat derived from the medium to be cooled, i.e. air in the interior of the refrigerator.

The compressor is a mechanically driven component that removes the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator by suction and outputs it at a higher pressure to the condenser.

The condenser is embodied as a heat exchanger in which, following compression, the evaporated refrigerant is condensed by heat transfer to an external cooling medium, i.e. the ambient air.

The throttle organ is an apparatus for constant pressure reduction by reducing the cross section.

The refrigerant is a fluid used for heat transfer in the cold-generating system and which absorbs heat when the fluid has low temperatures and low pressure and gives off heat when the fluid has a higher temperature and high pressure, wherein this usually entails changes to the status of the fluid.

The right refrigerator door can be used to open a right refrigeration compartment 106, which, in the present exemplary embodiment is embodied as a freezer compartment. The left refrigerator door 104 can be used to open a left refrigeration compartment 108, which, in the present exemplary embodiment, is embodied as a chiller compartment.

An ice maker 110 is arranged in the right refrigeration compartment 106; in the present exemplary embodiment, this makes ice cubes from water and also provides crushed ice. It is possible to dispense ice cubes and/or crushed ice through the right refrigerator door 102 on the front side of the refrigeration appliance without the right refrigerator door 102 having to be opened.

FIG. 2 shows the ice maker 110.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the ice maker 110 comprises a frame 200 which, in the present exemplary embodiment, is made of plastic. An ice cube tray 202 is rotatably mounted on the frame 200. A drive 204, in the present exemplary embodiment formed by an electric motor, is provided to rotate the ice cube tray 202.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the ice cube tray 202 is made of plastic and comprises a plurality of cavities 210, of which, for purposes of simplicity, FIG. 2 only identifies two with reference number 210. The cavity 210 is used to receive liquid water which subsequently freezes into water ice cubes. An ice level detector 206 is provided in order to be able to check whether the freezing process has been completed. In the present exemplary embodiment, the ice level detector is a magnetic sensor (not shown) with which the height of the ice in the cavities 210 is measured.

The ice cubes are then released from the cavities in that the drive 204 rotates the ice cube tray 202 by, for example, 150° to 180° so that the ice cubes fall out of the ice cube tray 202.

A temperature sensor assembly 208 monitors the temperature of the ice cube tray 202 in order in this way to ensure that ice cubes are only ejected from the ice cube tray 202 in fully frozen state.

In order to measure the temperature of the ice cube tray 202 with the temperature sensor assembly 208 without distortion, in the present exemplary embodiment, the temperature sensor assembly 208 is arranged off-centre on the ice cube tray 202.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the ice cube tray 202 has a longitudinal axis of symmetry X and a transverse axis of symmetry Y. In the present exemplary embodiment, the temperature sensor assembly 208 is arranged offset at a distance 212 to the longitudinal axis of symmetry 200 X and offset at a distance 214 to the transverse axis of symmetry Y.

Moreover, in the present exemplary embodiment, the temperature sensor assembly 208 is arranged between two adjacent cavities 210 of the ice cube tray 202 and is hence arranged directly adjacent to the water or ice contained in the cavities 210. This makes it possible to take undistorted measurements of the temperature of the ice cube tray 202 with the temperature sensor assembly 208.

FIG. 3 shows that, in the present exemplary embodiment, a temperature sensor 300 belonging to the temperature sensor assembly 208 is accommodated in a receptacle 306 of the ice cube tray 202. In the present exemplary embodiment, the receptacle 306 is molded onto the ice cube tray 202. Hence, it forms one piece with the ice cube tray 202.

In addition to the temperature sensor 300, the temperature sensor assembly 208 includes a measuring lead 302 with which the measured value ascertained with the temperature sensor 300 is forwarded to further components (not shown) of the refrigeration appliance 100 for the control of the refrigeration appliance 100.

It can moreover be determined with reference to FIG. 3 that, as a result of the arrangement in the receptacle 306, the temperature sensor 300 is arranged at close proximity to a surface of the ice cube tray 304 of the ice cube tray 202 and hence enables the direct ascertainment of the temperature of the ice cube tray 202.

FIG. 4 shows that water, which had been poured into the cavities 210 of the ice cube tray 202, is cooled by an air flow I emerging from an outlet opening 400 of the refrigeration appliance 100 until this water has completely frozen into ice.

It can be identified with reference to FIG. 4 that, due to the off-center arrangement of the temperature sensor assembly 203 with the temperature sensor 3 on the ice cube tray 202 at a distance 212 to the longitudinal axis of symmetry X and at a distance 214 to the longitudinal axis of symmetry Y, the temperature sensor 300 is located outside the air flow I that emerges from the outlet opening 400. Hence, the temperature ascertained with the temperature sensor 300 is not distorted by the air flow I so that the temperature sensor 300 ascertains the actual temperature of the ice cube tray 202.

FIG. 5 shows the temperature sensor assembly 208 in an exploded view.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the temperature sensor assembly 208 comprises the temperature sensor 300 with its measuring lead 302, a retaining clamp 500 for fastening the temperature sensor assembly 208 to the ice cube tray 202 and a shielding body 502.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the retaining clamp 500 is made of plastic. In the present exemplary embodiment, the retaining clamp 500 comprises three projections 504 to each of which a snap-on hook 506 is assigned in the present exemplary embodiment. In this case, in the present exemplary embodiment, the snap-on hooks 506 comprise lead-in chamfers 508 in order to facilitate the assembly of the retaining clamp of the ice cube tray 202.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the retaining clamp with the, in the present exemplary embodiment, three projections 504 is produced in plastic in one piece with the snap-on hook 506.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the shielding body 502 has a substantially cuboidal shape. In the present exemplary embodiment, the shielding body 502 is made of foam.

In assembled state, the shielding body 502 prevents air turbulence in the air flow I from the temperature sensor 300 and hence ensures measuring-error-free ascertainment of the temperature of the ice cube tray 202.

FIG. 6 shows that, in the present exemplary embodiment, the retaining clamp 500 is fastened to the ice cube tray 202 by three snap-on connections 600.

In this case, each of the three snap-on connections 600 is formed by a clip 602 which, in the present exemplary embodiment, is molded in one piece onto to the ice cube tray 202 and in each of which a snap-on hook 506 engages. Hence, in the present exemplary embodiment, the clips 602 are molded in one piece onto the ice cube tray 202.

The, in the present exemplary embodiment, three snap-on connections 600 ensure that the temperature sensor is held securely in its receptacle 306 and hence it is ensured that the temperature sensor 300 ascertains the temperature of the ice cube tray 202 without measuring errors.

In operation, the cavities 210 of the ice cube tray 202 are filled with water and then cooled by the air flow I emerging from the outlet opening 400 of the refrigeration appliance 100 until the water in the cavities 210 freezes to ice. During this process, the temperature is ascertained with the temperature sensor 300, which, due to its off-center arrangement is not impacted by the air flow I thus excluding the possibility of faulty ascertainment of the measured values by the temperature sensor 300 due to the air flow I.

If the temperature value ascertained with the temperature sensor 300 ascertains a predetermined threshold value, the frozen ice cubes in the cavities 210 of the ice cube tray 202 ice cubes are completely frozen and can be ejected from the ice cube tray 202 by rotating the ice cube tray 202 by means of the drive 204. The ice cubes are then ready for removal.

List of reference characters 100 Refrigeration appliance 102 Right refrigerator door 104 Left refrigerator door 106 Right refrigeration compartment 108 Left refrigeration compartment 110 Ice maker 200 Frame 202 Ice cube tray 204 Drive 206 Ice level detector 208 Temperature sensor assembly 210 Cavity 212 Distance 214 Distance 300 Temperature sensor 302 Measuring lead 304 Surface of the ice cube tray 306 Receptacle 400 Outlet opening 500 Retaining clamp 502 Shielding body 504 Projection 506 Snap-on hook 508 Lead-in chamfers 600 Snap-on connection 602 Clip I Air flow X Longitudinal axis of symmetry Y Transverse axis of symmetry 

1-12. (canceled)
 13. A refrigeration appliance, comprising: an ice maker having an ice cube tray; an outlet opening conducting an air flow flowing out of said outlet opening for cooling said ice cube tray; and a temperature sensor fastened to said ice cube tray, said temperature sensor being disposed outside of said air flow.
 14. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 13, wherein said temperature sensor is disposed off-center on said ice cube tray.
 15. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 13, wherein said ice cube tray has a longitudinal axis of symmetry and said temperature sensor is disposed at a distance from said longitudinal axis of symmetry.
 16. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 13, wherein said ice cube tray has a transverse axis of symmetry and said temperature sensor is disposed at a distance from said transverse axis of symmetry.
 17. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 13, wherein said ice cube tray includes at least two ice cube cavities, and said temperature sensor is disposed between said at least two ice cube cavities.
 18. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 13, which further comprises a receptacle disposed in said ice cube tray, said temperature sensor being disposed in said receptacle.
 19. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 13, which further comprises a retaining clamp fastening said temperature sensor to said ice cube tray.
 20. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 19, which further comprises a snap-on connection fastening said retaining clamp to said ice cube tray.
 21. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 20, wherein said snap-on connection includes a snap-on hook of said retaining clamp and a clip of said ice cube tray, said snap-on hook engaging in said clip.
 22. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 19, which further comprises a shielding body disposed between said ice cube tray and said retaining clamp.
 23. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 22, wherein said shielding body is made of foam.
 24. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 13, wherein said ice cube tray has a longitudinal axis of symmetry, and said air flow flows in the direction of said longitudinal axis of symmetry. 